1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to saw hubs for use with powered surgical saws in orthopedic surgery and other operations involving cutting of bone.
2. Related Art
Powered saws are frequently used for surgical procedures including orthopedic surgery and other operations requiring cutting of bone. Such saws typically include a handpiece 2 by which the surgeon can support the saw 1, a hub 3 mounted on handpiece 2, and a saw blade 4 coupled to the hub 3, as seen generally in FIGS. 1-3. In use and upon activation by the surgeon, the hub moves to impart oscillatory motion to the saw blade rigidly attached to the hub. The integrity and security of the connection between the saw blade and the hub is of paramount importance for safe and effective operation of the saw. If the blade is not fully inserted and adequately secured within the hub, the repeated and rapid oscillations of the blade can lead to the disengagement of the blade during operation and thereby risk serious bodily injury. Further, an inadequately secured blade for an oscillating motion saw generates a significant amount of noise. This is because current saw blades do not tightly fit into the saw head slots.
Precise bone surgery requires a surgical saw and saw blade which can be threaded through surgical access incisions, fed down to tissue or bone requiring cutting or resection, and with the ability to make the cut or perform the resection without injuring or endangering the surrounding bone or tissue. Precise bone surgery also requires a surgical saw and saw blade which can be utilized for deep cuts while maintaining minimal, atraumatic motion of the longitudinal sides of the saw blade, and transverse motion of the toothed end of saw blade, allowing effective cutting and or resection of tissue or bone.